MEDICAL MARIJUANA OPPONENTS TO RALLY

The debate over legalizing medical marijuana continues to heat up locally.

Critics of medical marijuana have planned a rally for Wednesday to
voice opposition to two bills in the state legislature that would
allow people to buy and smoke marijuana to treat approved medical conditions.

"Medical marijuana would grant legitimacy and cultural acceptance of
this drug. We don't think that's a good thing," said Susan Mizenko,
prevention education supervisor for Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services.

Mizenko's organization will join with area law enforcement, members
of the medical community and other area anti-drug coalitions for a
press conference Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the rotunda of the Luzerne
County Courthouse.

Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services will distribute a 10-page
position paper that advocates and explains the organization's strong
disapproval for medicinal marijuana, Mizenko said.

Bills in the state House and state Senate would create
doctor-supervised marijuana programs that would allow patients to
purchase and smoke the drug to treat debilitating medical
conditions, such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, and chronic pain.
State Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, is a co-sponsor of the
House bill, titled the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.
Pennsylvania would join 14 other states that have legalized medical marijuana.

Dr. Edward Carey, who operates a family medical practice in Forty
Fort, said he is strongly opposed to the bills and is supporting
Wednesday's opposition effort. He said medical marijuana already
exists in pill form, a prescription drug known as Marinol that
contains THC, the active chemical in marijuana.

Carey said the drug, approved by the federal Food and Drug
Administration, is proven useful in treating some medical issues,
but doesn't deliver the intoxicating high that comes with smoking
marijuana. Many want to legalize the smoking of medical marijuana,
rather than use the pill, because "there's no high" to the pill, Carey said.

The chief executive officer of another drug and alcohol prevention
organization in Luzerne County said he disagrees with those planning
Wednesday's event.

"While I respect my colleagues, I think they are sadly misinformed,"
said Ed Pane, director of Serento Gardens in Hazleton. "The research
is unequivocal. The drug works. The idea that it should never be
accepted as medicine because it produces a high means virtually any
medicine could be banned."

Pane, who testified in favor of medical marijuana in state
legislative hearings, said the use of marijuana for medical
treatment is widely accepted by the medical community. He opposes
the recreational use as much as he would oppose the recreational use
of morphine or Zanax, he said. Pane said he welcomes a chance
to debate those locally who oppose medical marijuana.

The press release from Wyoming Valley Drug and Alcohol Services
about Wednesday's news conference says the Luzerne County District
Attorneys Office is taking part in the press conference.

On Monday, Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll
only would say, "My job is to enforce the law as written. We follow
the law. It's up to the legislature to make the laws."